Sheldon Richman of the Future of Freedom Foundation takes on education, The Pledge, coercion and sets the record straight for the Religious Right:
Let’s leave aside whether children should be pressured or forced to pledge allegiance to a flag and a nation-state. (Frankly, it exploits children.) Ignore for this discussion that the Pledge was written by a Christian socialist with the avowed intent of fostering collectivism in children. (You could look it up.)
The real issue here is not religion or atheism or patriotism. It’s liberty versus coercion, persuasion versus force. In the 19th century, state school systems were set up partly to inculcate Protestantism in children whether their parents approved or not. This offended Catholics, Jews, and others, who often started their own schools in response. But the government still demanded that the dissenters help finance what they found offensive.
Hmm, you won't hear the Christian Coalition, Concerned Women for America, Eagle Forum, etc. talking about that little tidbit of history. To hear them tell it, a big bad cabal of athiests and leftists are out to destroy America and only coerced religious sentiments and socialist loyalty oaths will save us. That and hearing them talk about is how bad it is that they aren't allowed to force Christianity down the throats of other people's children. They would, of course, object to other religions getting equal footing in public schools. It's all about control baby. And they want it.
Perhaps they should consult their history books and put down the hymnals for five minutes. They had that type of control for years and abused it. It was wrong then and is still wrong now. It's time for the lies to stop. Separation of School and State. To Hell with the Religious Right and their apologists. I choose individual rights over statist coercion of any fashion. If that pisses off some of my friends and colleagues on the Right, so what. I want someone to show where in Scripture it says that they are allowed to force their belief systems on other people's children through the blunt force of the State. I then want them to show me where in Scripture that it says they get to take money from me in order to finance it. Then I want my friends and colleagues on the Left to explain to me where they get their rights to do the same. As Sheldon points out, this argument isn't about religion or The Pledge, it's about coercion.
And there is plenty of that go round on both the Left and the Right.